The late Charlie Kirk, the author and founder of TPUSA—and arguably the most influential person under 40 in America—overflowed with courage.
He also radiated confidence and wielded mad organizational skills.
Yet, his genius at communicating truth through dialogue and debate is what terrified and enraged his enemies most.
And because he did it so well, they murdered him.
Now, weeks later, in place of the shock and grief I felt in the days immediately following Charlie’s death, dwells an attitude of resolve.
I’m determined to follow him in all the ways that he so clearly followed Christ, because, honestly, I want to be effective at what I do in a way that’s scary, too.
Join me?
I’ve identified four major steps that Charlie took to create a legacy of excellence as a disciple of Christ, a family man, and a political leader and cultural influencer.
And to make each step easy to remember, I’ve arranged them to form the acronym D-I-V-E (naturally☺️):
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DETERMINE ~ to resolve OR settle by choice of alternatives or possibilities
Since emerging on the national scene at the age of 18, Charlie pursued one fundamental mission: to make Christ known to America’s young people.
“…make heaven crowded.”—Charlie Kirk
He also determined to instill within them the love of freedom and country. But both of these, he knew, could only come out of an appreciation of God’s love for them and freedom. (1 Peter 3:15, Galatians 5:1, Ephesians 3:12)
What mission have you determined to work toward?
INVEST ~ to commit (something) in order to earn a return
Charlie invested time and energy in developing his God-given gifts as a communicator and leader. He continually worked at improving his game as a speaker and debater.
As a single man, and later, with his wife, Erika, he devoted himself to daily Bible study and prayer.
Perhaps most remarkably, Charlie made significant investments in building strong friendships with both influential leaders and supporting the student members of TPUSA’s 1,800+ chapters nationwide.
In what one or two projects or causes will you invest your time and energy?
VENTURE ~ to undertake risks and danger
Charlie spoke the truth because it was the truth, even when he knew some of the hearers would not like it. (Galatians 4:16)
He risked being unpopular by exposing lies, correcting false beliefs, and dispelling misunderstandings. (Psalm 140:11)
Finally, Charlie could and did win arguments through facts and solid reasoning.
However, what impressed me most was that he made it clear to anyone who asked that at the root of his belief in those things was his faith in God and the Gospel. Without apology.(2 Timothy 1:8-12, 1 Peter 3:15) )
Is any lie or bit of gossip taking root in one of your social circles that you feel led to challenge so that it doesn’t flourish?
ENGAGE ~ to hold the attention of, induce to participate, to deal with, especially at length
Charlie was always ready and willing to give an appropriate and reasonable response in “Prove Me Wrong” sessions on college campuses. These were events where he invited students to engage him in open debate. (Proverbs 15:23)
So many of his friends and admirers have described him as “a happy warrior because, time after time after time, he treated those who took him up on his offer to “prove him wrong” with grace and respect. (Colossians 4:6)
This was the case no matter how often they insulted him, called him names, or (sounds crazy, but it’s true) said they wanted to beat him up.
In fact, if you watch a video of Charlie in action during one of these campus visits where all of the above occur, you may be as amazed as I am at how immensely patient the man was.
And it occurs to me that I may need to fast and pray to “do it like Charlie” in this area. 😳
What one change can you make in your attitude or approach to engage in more meaningful conversations with others?
Having a godly role model to follow can help you forge your own path.
Does the late Charlie Kirk strike you as someone worth following, as he followed Christ?
Or, if not him, then…who?
